Scarecrow of 1889
Chapter 33: Society’s eyes

Chapter 33: Society’s eyes

When Jane arrived at the place, she climbed outside and the people who had only arrived at the place watched her closer than ever before. She could already hear people’s murmurs around her.

"Did you know that she and that murderer were spending time together?" asked a woman in a hushed whisper as Jane began to walk towards the entrance.

"That’s not all. She is supporting the murderer. The inspector isn’t very pleased with her actions, tch. And to think that she was the one leading the case."

"You think she was collaborating with the killer? How scandalous! If that is the case, they will put her on trial and convict her of murder too!"

Jane decided to ignore the words of the people, because that is what she had been doing as she had grown up. First when her mother ran away, then when her father passed away, then came people’s interest in marrying her and now this. But then one young woman haughtyly questioned,

"How did she even dare to show her face here?"

Jane stopped in her tracks, and the people who were whispering stopped talking. She then turned to look at the woman, and replied,

"I have been told I have a pretty face, Lady Greta and a very clear heart. That’s how I dare to show up. Do you have any more doubts?"

Lady Greta had hoped for her comment to pass through with the others, not expecting for Jane to question her. She asked, "You wait until this case is done. My husband says, you will be punished too for siding with evil."

"Perhaps your husband should let you know that he’s been visiting a nightclub in the name of work," Jane commented, not waiting to see the woman’s mouth fall open.

"Y—You! You are the reason why most marriages break, Jane Reinhart! You, home-wrecker!" Lady Greta turned red, where she would soon turn into one of the conversations in the soiree.

Jane walked through the wide hallway, with candle lights and lanterns burning brightly as people continued to pour in.

"Have you come here to apologise for picking up the wrong side, aye?" Sergeant Gruger asked sloppily and Jane noticed the man had quite a couple of drinks. "Because it is already known. All of them want that bastard Crowley dead. Poor Delilah and you are a fan?"

"I wasn’t aware my favourites were known," Jane took a step backwards when Sergeant Gruger swayed.

"Of course! When it is your enemy, you should always keep them close to you and keep your enemy’s friends away from them. That’s what I did," Sergeant Gruger laughed.

"What did you do?" Jane subtly frowned.

"I moved that useless ex-doctor from the cell and had him assigned to another one. We don’t need a non-doctor now, colluding with the culprit, do we?" Sergeant Gruger asked, before he walked away from her.

Jane knew that the people whom she had worked for, they would be responsible for moving Teddy Walsham out of the cell. This way it would be easier to break Sylvester... As her eyes moved, she caught many other known people, and the women mostly kept their distance from her.

Her eyes finally fell on Judge Reynolds and she made her way to where he was, picking up a glass from the array of drinks placed at the table. She picked up a glass the man was reaching out for her, and handed it to him.

"Ah, Miss Reinhart. I didn’t expect to see you here," Judge Reynolds remarked, before thanking her for picking up his glass.

"I thought I could use some social...conversations," Jane replied, picking up a glass for herself.

"You aren’t very good at lies, are you?" the older man asked and Jane smiled.

"For a very long time," Jane replied. She knew Judge Reynolds before this case, as she had attended his court proceedings. But she had met the man, as her father had been acquainted with him.

"Mm. I have heard that it has gotten you into quite some trouble with others. I hope you aren’t here to persuade me of my judgement of the case," Judge Reynolds gave her a pointed look.

"I would never do that, but I do ask that if the time comes, you will be as fair as you have been until now," Jane replied, looking straight in his eyes. "To have an open mind. That is all."

Judge Reynolds stared at her, before remarking, "The side you stand on, it is clear as day that it has wrongs. That it is deserved. The defendant’s case is weak, I won’t lie to you and you know it too."

"I thought so too, until I came face-to-face with the things I didn’t know were possible before. I have always been one for justice," Jane replied to him. "My father once told me. You won’t know, until you experience it. Until it happens to you. I have met that alter. So if you notice even the slightest difference, please don’t overlook it in this case, Mr. Reynolds."

"Your father would be very proud with how far you have come," Mr. Reynolds subtly deviated the subject, but Jane didn’t mind it. She had told him what she wanted to, the rest was something she didn’t have control over.

"He must be," Jane nodded. "Thank you for hearing me out, and not dismissing me. I also want to apologise for causing the disruption in the court this afternoon."

Mr. Reynolds waved his hand as if it were not a big deal. "It is common in courtrooms. Though I will have to warn you not to do that again. You are intriguing, Miss Reinhart. I will give you that. Enjoy your night, Miss Reinhart." He raised his glass and she did the same, before watching him walk and converse with another guest in the room.

The same night, in the jail where Sylvester was held, one of the prisoners bumped into him. It was Garry. The bully in the prison had been waiting for him to make his score even.

"It looks like someone doesn’t have their fucking eyes," said the man who towered over Sylvester by an inch. Sylvester didn’t want to get into any trouble, and he tried to sidestep as he had his case ongoing.

But Garry brought his hand forward, blocking Sylvester, and said, "Where do you think you are going, pretty boy? I have been waiting all this time for you, and it is time for you to be my bitch." He stared at the face and then said, "You have pretty long lashes. I cannot wait to fuck you, and you will please me."

Saying this, Garry stepped forward and placed his hand on Sylvester’s chest.

Sylvester quickly moved backwards, looking terrified by the beefy prisoner. But before he could leave, the prisoner got hold of him and tried to forcibly push him against the wall.

"I have seen pretty looking boys and have tamed them here for the last seven years. You think struggling will help?" he laughed. "You will see that you will have a good time and will be begging me for more," the man laughed. "Once the li—ARGH!" he shouted.

Suddenly, the prisoner’s thigh was stabbed with something similar to a knife, and his leg dripped with blood, and he screamed in pain.

"What the fuck?" questioned the beefy prisoner with a gobsmacked expression, who stared at Sylvester’s changed demeanour.

"Tienes mucho nervio. Eres una mierda!" came the cursed words that belonged to none other than Ricardo. There was a shadow cast across his face, and soon the guards appeared and dragged the two men out of there to different solitary rooms.

When Jane returned from the soiree, she received a call from Charles, "What do you mean they aren’t allowing you to see Sylvester?" she asked him with a frown.

"Some other prisoner and he got into a scuffle earlier before dinner, and he was put in the solitary room for the next two days," Charles stated with a frustrated sigh on the other line. "I don’t think I will be able to prepare him for the next trial."

Jane rubbed her forehead and then asked, "Did he receive any injuries?"

"No, he didn’t. But I heard the other man involved had to get stitches," Charles replied, and he then added, "If it was something severe, the warden would have mentioned it," knowing she might want to know.

"I see," Jane murmured.

After two days, Sylvester was back in the courtroom with bruises on his face and the people in the court couldn’t stop staring at him even more than usual. He noticed Mr. Hamilton whisper something to his associate while looking at him, and it turned him nervous. He then asked, "What if I don’t answer correctly?"

"You have never known about the murders, and that is the truth? That is what you will say," Charles gave him a small pep talk before the judge appeared in the courtroom.

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